Disney+ Signs Landmark Deal in France to Invest 25% of its Local Turnover in French, European Movies; Gets Nine-Month Window on Theatrical Films

Disney+ has signed a landmark agreement to invest 25% of its annual sales generated in France to finance French and European series and films. As a payoff for this commitment, the streamer will be allowed to access newly released films nine months after their theatrical release, a big improvement from the previous 17-month window.

By comparison, Netflix, which ranks as France’s leading streaming service in terms of subscribers, has a 15-month window; while Apple TV+, which just signed its first ever agreement in France to invest 20% of its turnover in local and European productions, is at 17 months.

Under their three-year agreement, Disney+ will also made a big push into local movies as it’s signed on to buy or pre-buy and finance a minimum of 70 films over this period, ensuring a diversity of genres and budgets.

The long-gestated deal follows rollercoaster negotiations with the local industry which fell through at certain times, notably when Disney decided to forgo the theatrical release of “Strange World” in 2022. The forceful move propelled French exhibitors in a state of panic, but also led for negotiations to be re-launched. A Disney spokesperson had called out the French rules for being “cumbersome” and “anti-consumer, ignoring how behaviour has evolved over the last several years and putting us at increased risk for piracy.”

Disney, like other streaming services, has been on a crusade to see France amend its strict windowing rules for several years. These guidelines are even responsible for the absence of Netflix at the Cannes Film Festival, since the event requires every film in competition to be distributed in cinemas in France. But the country’s main players, particularly the pay TV group Canal+, have been pushing back because they are the biggest financiers of local movies and want to stay ahead with their preferred access to newly released films, which is currently set at six months.

This landmark deal with Disney is happening as the U.S. studio became France’s top distributor in 2024, with blockbusters like “Inside Out 2” and “Moana 2.”

“This agreement marks an important step for French cinema-goers,” said Hélène Etzi, chairman of The Walt Disney Company France. “Making films accessible to as many people as possible, first in cinemas, then much more rapidly on the Disney+ platform, is an essential first step in meeting the needs of French audiences,” said Etzi. “This agreement testifies to Disney’s unwavering commitment to the public,” she says, “and its desire to continue working with French talent and producers in the film and audiovisual sectors.”

The pact has been celebrated by film guilds in France, including the ARP, BLIC and BLOC that regroups producers, filmmakers and distributors. “We are delighted that Disney+ has joined the ranks of media chronology signatory operators who have signed a financing and broadcasting agreement with the film industry, enabling it to strengthen its support for French and European creation, and offer its subscribers recent films,” said the orgs in a joint statement.